The present application is related to methods and procedures for conducting a rapid safety check of several different parameters of a motor vehicle, and in particular, to methods and procedures for carrying out a series of vehicle safety checks including, but not limited to, vehicle and customer identification, wheel alignment measurement, battery testing, brake testing, tire tread depth measurement, tire pressure monitoring, and documentation and review of vehicle diagnostic trouble codes and test results using a multi-function vehicle service system and single vehicle service bay or inspection lane.
Vehicle owners generally do not bring vehicles to a service or repair shop unless the vehicle is due for a scheduled maintenance procedure or the owner has detected something is wrong with the vehicle. It is not uncommon for vehicles which are not routinely serviced will have worn or damaged components unknown to the owner/operator which may potentially have a negative impact on the safe operation of the vehicle.
Automotive service shops will routinely perform safety checks on vehicles brought in for service. However, these safety checks are time consuming and often require multiple different vehicle service systems, such as a vehicle wheel alignment measurement system, a vehicle brake testing system, and/or a vehicle diagnostic code analyzer. These different and independent service systems may be located at different locations throughout a vehicle repair shop, requiring the vehicle to be moved from one location to the next, in order to perform a diagnostic procedure at each station. The results of these discrete safety checks and/or measurements are then compiled from the individual service systems, and subsequently communicated to the vehicle owner. Often, due to the time required to complete the various individual vehicle safety checks using the different vehicle service systems and service bays, the owner will no longer be present at the shop premises. The result is that the owner may not be informed of the additional needed repairs or services until a much later time, often after completion of the repair or service for which the vehicle was initial brought to the shop. At this point, the vehicle owner will often decline to proceed with any additional repairs, and the vehicle service or repair shop fails to profit from having conducted the additional vehicle safety checks and/or inspections.
Accordingly, it would be advantage to provide a vehicle service or repair shop with an efficient means for identifying a vehicle and customer, and for automating or carrying out a series of vehicle safety checks including, but not limited to, vehicle battery testing, wheel alignment measurements, brake testing, tire tread depth measurement, tire pressure monitoring, and a review of vehicle diagnostic trouble codes using a single multi-function vehicle service system and a single vehicle service bay or inspection lane. It would be further advantageous for the comprehensive results of the several vehicle safety checks to be quickly provided to a vehicle owner/operator in a summary report in order to obtain approval to conduct necessary repairs and/or vehicle services.